The Hanging Tree
by AchikaMiyu
Summary: The story of Guts' mother before she met her fate under the hanging tree.
1. The Soil

Note:    I do not own Berserk, nor the rights to it.  Damn!

A/N:     This story is going to contain violence, death, rape—you know, the typical Berserk stuff.  It's going to be my interpretation of what happens to Gatts' mother before she gets hung.

The Hanging Tree: The Soil Chapter 1 of 5 

            The cruel whisper of the wind blew steadily around her, blowing brown shoulder-length hair in her face.  Her eyes were red and dry after crying for the last half-hour, but her heart had been crying for much longer.  Her red cloak clung to her body as her only source of comfort from the biting wind.  A twinge of pain from her stomach almost threw her off her feet as she quickly grabbed her protruding belly.  She could try and complain to the men in front of her, but they only cared about ridding the world of sin: a sin she never committed.  After all, to them she and her companions were the cause of all the pain and suffering in Midland; they were the scapegoats.  It didn't matter how much innocent blood was spilled, as long as they could sleep with a clear conscious knowing they helped rid the land of a few nuisances.  But nothing could stop the hunger, pain, and bloodshed that have been ravaging Midland for hundreds of years: not even their deaths.

            She quietly watched as the men started to tie nooses along the branches of the great oak tree they were all standing under.  _So this is where I'm going to die.  Her other companions were all shaking in fear and begging for mercy at the hands of the men before them.  Poor Emiya was the first to be hung as they lifted her tiny body off the ground and quickly tied the rope to a hook embedded in the tree and watched as her body convulsed.  The others couldn't bear to watch their young friend die, but the men could.  They all watched with a keen interest as her body slowly stopped shaking and hung lifelessly from the noose, ending all the pain and suffering the poor child had endured in her nine-years of existence.  _Poor Emiya, she did not deserve to die.  _ _

            One of the men pushed her forward, closer to her eventual fate.  She was going to be the last of the five who were captured to meet their fate.  Hearing the scream of another girl, she knew that they had Felicia.  She didn't want to watch anymore of her friends die.  Her eyes dropped to the ground and silently watched her foot appear out of the line of her bulging stomach.  It was like watching the sunrise over the horizon as if the world were too pregnant to see it's own feet.  She was certain and at least one of the men knew that she was with child, but there is a thin line between ignorance and ignoring.  One was always substituted for the other when a person wanted to find an excuse for not aiding those in need.  She had learned that lesson long ago.

            She felt someone place a noose over her neck, getting her ready for her death.  The woman didn't really care at this point, but she could hardly be called much of a woman.  She was still very young, too young, but it was evident that she would never live to see tomorrow.  _Any minute now . . . any minute.  Ever since that day I've been living my life by each minute.  How long ago was it?  Ah, yes . . . a little over eight months ago . . . how could I ever forget the day I should have died._

_______________

End of The Soil

A/N:     Yes, death!  Sorry for those folks who read my first fic and were expecting another romance.  I needed to write something completely different to flex my writing skills.  I'll try to get the other chapters out as soon as I can, but I sometimes get lazy.


	2. The Roots

Note:    I do not own the great manga or anime that is Berserk.  I only own people's souls.

A/N:     This chapter is where the shit hits the fan so there's going to be some violence near the end of it.  You have been warned.

**The Roots**

**Chapter 2 of 5**

            "Sabina!  Sabina!  I need your help in the kitchen!" a slender woman with long brown hair shouted as she stood in the doorway of her cabin.  With one hand on her hips and the other holding a ladle, she quickly went back inside after seeing her daughter's head breach over the horizon.  

            Sabina had been collecting wildflowers along the hillside outside her village.  Her long earthen brown hair was tangled with bits and pieces of grass and flowers from her excursion.  After hearing her mother's frantic cries, she hastily picked up the handful of flowers she had collected and quickly made her way back to the cabin.  She knew that her mother needed her help since she was the only child left in the family.  

            She would have been the youngest of five if three of her siblings had survived past age four.  Her only surviving sibling was her older brother Dagu, who had married and moved out to have a family of his own about a year ago.  Sabina missed her older brother, since he was the only one who she played with as a child.  But now she was fifteen and acting more and more like an adult each day, though she was still protected from the outside world in her own little bubble.  It would only be a few years before she had to find herself a husband and also leave the sanctuary of home just as her brother did.

            "I'm here mother!  I brought along some flowers so we can have a lovely centerpiece during our meal," Sabina said in between breaths as she quickly pulled out a vase and filled it up with some water to feed her thirsty flowers.

            "Oh, they are quite lovely.  Now clean-up a bit and help me get some of these vegetables cut before your father gets back from work," Sabina's mother said as she smiled at her young daughter.  

            Merinda had always wanted a daughter to call her own since she first married twenty-two years ago.  She had met with heartache twice after one of her daughters was stillborn and the other, Sabina's older sister, died a few months after her birth.  She had a son, Temanai, who was born a year after Dagu, but he was killed when some mercenaries skirmished too close to their lands.  A stray arrow caught the child in the throat while he was playing outside with his brother.  Sabina never knew him since she was still a newborn when he died.  Now that Sabina was the only child Merinda had left, she did everything in her power to protect her from the poisons of the outside world; preserving her in that protective bubble, that would inevitably be popped.

            A small group of men gradually made their way back into the village as the sun was slowly making its decent down past the horizon.  Each one of these men had their homes and family to return to after their grueling day working at the mill.  As the group made its way deeper into the village, the men would slowly filter out and return to their home.  They all looked forward to the steady walk back, but none of them anticipated the trek more than Raphizel.  He would always work at the old mill and come home exhausted, but he never seemed to get tired of talking with his wife and daughter.  They were his light in the trying days of darkness around him: his reason for going on each day.  He worked in the day to provide enough money to support his family and came home at night to his loving wife and affectionate daughter.  He was a simple man who wanted a simple life and this was his paradise.

            Passing through the row of houses glowing with the faint aura of the hearth fire, Raphizel paused for a moment to look west past a break in the row between two of the wooden houses.  He noticed a fiery red glow on top of the far hill a few miles away.  It had been getting brighter and brighter each night he returned home.  He hoped that the winds of fate would blow the blaze of battle westerly, but he feared that they were not going to change course.

            "Worried about that battle over there?" said a man who came up and put his hand on Raphizel's shoulder.

            "Yes, I fear that it will be soon when they finally reach the village, Mortius," addressing the portly man next to him.

            The two men stood side by side thinking deeply about the possible fate of the village if the battle that was being waged just over the horizon were to get any closer.  To a bystander, the sight would seem almost comedic as a tall, lanky Raphizel was being held down by the strong hefty hand of Mortius, who isn't well known for his height or for being thin.  Neither men wore expressions of worry or joy; they both seemed to stare off to the horizon at a fiery glow that rivaled the red haze of the setting sun.  

            Sensing the tension mounting in the air, Mortius just pat Raphizel roughly on the back to divert his attention, "So I hear that your boy is coming back to visit?"

            "Yes, he says that he and his wife Tessia have something important to tell us," letting a smile creep to his lips.  "I know they want to surprise us, but I think I know what their big surprise is."

            "There's nothing that ever gets past you now, is there?" Mortius laughed boisterously.  "But make sure he comes by and talks to his old Uncle Mort!  I won't let you live it down if I don't get to see him and his lovely little wife."

            "I'll make sure he sees you," reassuring the rotund man.

            "That's my good man!" giving one last forceful pat on Raphizel's back before making his way back to his own house.  "I won't hold you up from your wife and daughter any longer."

            Raphizel watched as his good friend and neighbor walked off to his house.  Mortius lived in the last house on the row that connected the small village.  His house was the closest to Raphizel's, which stood on top of a small hill about several hundred yards away from all the other houses in the village.  The house was built long ago by his grandfather when the village was starting to grow.  He was the only one who insisted on building his house separate from the long growing chain of houses strung together like two pairs of slithering snakes growing in ecstasy in the act of copulation.  It wasn't because he didn't care for his neighbors, but he just enjoyed the peace and quiet: solitude away from all the gossip and overabundance of neighborly love. 

            But if one were to sit on the rooftop, he or she could easily see the whole village and even the faint speck of the old mill off in the far distance; a past time that Sabina and Dagu, with Raphizel before them, always enjoyed doing.  Once when Dagu was only seventeen and Sabina ten, he had taken both of his children up to the rooftop to tell them to story of their little village.  He remembered describing the buildings to his children like worms all strewn together and braided by some young child who was bored.  He told him about all the people of the village and how long their families had lived here.  That memory was precious to him.  He also recalled how they both laughed and listened intently to his every words.

            Walking up the path on the small hill, Raphizel looked up onto the roof and smiled.  He hoped that Dagu was visiting because Tessia was pregnant.  If he predicted the reason for their visit correctly, than he hoped one day he could take his grandchild up on that roof and retell the story of this quaint village.  He could hear the faint sounds of Merinda and Sabina talking in the kitchen.  His stomach gurgled a bit, telling him to hurry and sate it.  He relented and opened the door to his home for what unfortunately would be the last time.

            Sabina finished tidying up and pranced over to her mother's side.  She had always enjoyed spending time with her mother during the day helping her with the garden or anything that needed to be done around the house.  Setting the food on the table, Sabina quickly poked a bit at the hearth to keep the house warm as the sun's rays were dropping over the horizon.  No sooner had she finished bringing the fire to a constant blaze that her father walked through the door.

             "Papa, you're home!" Sabina jumped up to embrace the man.

             "It's good to be home," as he kissed his daughter on top of her head.  "It smells like you and your mother cooked up a feast!"

             "Only your favorite stew!"  Sabina's mother walked in carrying two bowls of stew while she walked over to her husband to give him a kiss.

            Their meals were eaten quietly with the occasional sounds of the clanking of spoons against the bottom of their bowls.  Raphizel always enjoyed his wife's cooking, especially tonight.  He helped himself to at least three servings of the hearty stew that never seemed to put any weight on the thin man.

             "Oh papa!  Do you like the flowers that I picked today for our centerpiece?"  Sabina asked with a tiny sparkle in her eye.

             "Of course I did dear.  They are very lovely," as Raphizel ran his hand through his daughter's hair.  "Now go take the dishes and clean them up for your mother."

             "Yes papa," Sabina said politely as she scrambled to collect everyone's bowls.  

            Once he saw that his daughter was out of earshot, he took a deep breath as he put his hand into his wife Merinda's.  "The fighting is getting closer and closer to our village."

             "Do you think I should keep Sabina indoors from now on?" as she tightened her grip on her husbands hand, sensing his distress.

             "I think that would be best.  I know that we can't shelter her from the outside world forever, but I'd like to think we can at least try," Raphizel sighed.  

             "Try not to worry, my dear.  We can only hope that nothing horrible happens to her," trying to reassure her husband.  "If you want, we could ask Dagu to take her to his village.  He will be here soon to visit and so far there haven't been any battles or signs of war where he lives."

             "Hm, perhaps.  We'll just wait until Dagu gets here to discuss that," squeezing his wife's hand once more before his daughter walked back into the den.

             "I finally finished all the dishes!" Sabina shouted triumphantly.  "Now, tell me about how things are in the mill?"

             "Nothing different from yesterday," Raphizel chuckled.  "How about the village?  I'm sure you went around the town when your mother wasn't looking to catch up on the town gossip," as he winked at his wife.

             "Papa!  I think I'm mature enough not to sneak out of the house!" Sabina pursed her lips while putting both her hands on her hips.  "I'm almost fifteen now!"

             "Yes, yes you are dear.  I was only joking," Raphizel laughed exuberantly as his wife just giggled.

             "Well, I guess you don't want to hear what everyone in the village is talking about," she huffed and crossed her arms in front of her.

             "No, I'm interested," trying to stifle back some laughter.

             "Oh, well, everyone in the village is excited that Dagu and Tessia are visiting," she said quickly perking up.  "I think Crissy may still be in love with him," she said in a faint whisper.

             "Oh, she's such a sweet girl.  I hope she eventually finds someone to take care of her," Merinda said despondently.

            "Don't worry mother, she'll find somebody," Sabina giggled like a child who knew a secret she couldn't keep.  She eyed the vase with the flowers she picked today in the fields.  The various colors of reds, yellows, and purples were splattered and splayed on top of green that just seemed to burst out of the vase.  The colors were mesmerizing and slowly hypnotizing the girl to a droopy state as if the flowers were made of some mysterious sleeping powder.  "I think I'll make a beautiful bouquet for Tessia when they finally get here.  What do you think father?" Sabina said with a yawn.

            "I think it's time for you to get to bed," her father said, noticing the young girl's fatigue.

            "But I'm not tired yet," she said groggily before finally stretching her arms out in a stifled yawn.

            "A young girl needs her rest if she wants to grow up to be a beautiful woman," Merinda chided.  "I know of a certain young lady who has been staying up until the wee hours of the morning waiting for her brother to come back."

            "But what if I fall asleep and then Dagu and Tessia arrive?" she whined.

            "Then we'll wake you, now get to bed," Raphizel smiled as he kissed his daughter's forehead before watching her drag her tired body to her room.

            Merinda and Raphizel waited until their daughter had gone into her room and fallen asleep.  They always talked about the uncertain fate of Midland and whether or not this endless war with the Chudor Empire would ever end.  It was on nights like these that they would remember why they wanted to shelter their children from the harsh realities of the world that seemed to have little concern for anyone.  

            "I fear for her Raphizel," Merinda said as she gripped the end of her apron with her two small hands.  "I don't want her to suffer the same fate as our poor Temanai.  I've lost too many children already and I don't want to lose another."

            "I know dear," as he put his hands over his wife's.  "We can only hope that Dagu will agree to letting her stay in his house.  They may need her help eventually," Raphizel said smirking, trying to distract his wife from the pain of losing her son.

            "Yes, they might," Merinda smiled.  "But only if you're right in thinking that Tessia might be pregnant."

            "Have I ever been wrong?"  Raphizel cooed as he put his hand on his wife's delicate face.

            Merinda never answered his question as the door to their house burst open.  Merinda faced the door and blanched as she saw the bloody body of Mortius stumble into her den.  Raphizel quickly ran to the dying man who had an arrow jutting out of his back.  He was able to catch his neighbor as Mortius' battered hand reached up and grabbed Raphizel's collar.

            "Run," the word was barely a whisper as it escaped Mortius' lips.  He gazed into Raphizel's eyes showing him all the horrors that he had seen and endured before they finally glazed over and the last shred of life left his body.

            Raphizel barely had time to think before three armored men raced into his house.  Even with Mortius' warning, there was no chance for any of them to escape.  Raphizel shut his eyes as he saw one of the men run towards him with his sword raised above his head and prayed that Merinda and Sabina's deaths would also be swift.

            A blood-curdling scream cut through the air like a knife and Sabina shot straight up in her bed.  The scream sounded close—too close.  Fearing the worst, she quickly grabbed her robe and pushed open the door to her room only to see a sight that would forever be burned into the depths of her consciousness.  She saw the broken and bloody bodies of both her father and Mortius huddled in a sickening heap on the floor of her den.  A man with a large bloody sword hovered over them like a vulture feasting on the dead corpses.  Her mother was sprawled on the table, held down by another man.  She looked over at her daughter and tried to shout again, but the man above her punched her in the face to silence her scream.

            Sabina wanted to scream, she wanted to run, but her body wouldn't move.  She just stared with her mouth agape and her small hands trembling at the horrid scene before her.  The flowers she had picked earlier were tramped under the foot of the man about to rape her mother.  The broken shards of the vase were mingling with the blood of her father and Mortius.   Instinctively, she took a small step back only to step into the body of another man.  She tried to face the man behind her, but before she had time to turn around and face the mysterious figure a hand covered her mouth and shrouded everything surrounding her in complete darkness.

__________

End of The Roots


	3. The Trunk

Note:    I do not own Berserk, nor the rights to it.  That belongs to Miura-Sensei.

A/N:     This is where the shit that hit the fan starts to splay around everywhere. The Trunk 

**Chapter 3 of 5**

Pain and cold, that was all she felt.  _Why am I so cold?_  Sabina wanted to open her eyes, but something told her to keep them shut.  Pulling her knees up to her chest, she tried to curl up into a fetal position, but her thighs ached with a constant pain.  Her back hurt from lying on the hard wooden floor of her den.  She guessed that she must have tossed and turned all night, but she didn't even realize that she wasn't in her own bedroom.  Unconsciously trying to pull her covers closer to her she reached out for them, but her hand only found the hard wooden floor.  _Why am I on the floor?  Did I fall out of bed?_ Her curiosity got the better of her and she slowly lifted open her eyelids to see the image of the ceiling come into focus.

            Clutching her chest, she realized that her nightgown had been ripped, exposing her bare breasts.  Tracing her finger along the ripped fabric, she discovered that her whole body was exposed to the open air.  She started to panic.  _How did I rip these?  Is that why I'm so cold?_  

             "Mama, Papa?" her voice cracked, but no answer came.  

            Taking deep breaths, she waited for the smell of her mother's freshly baked bread to fill her nostrils like they did every morning, but only the stench of death invading her senses.  A wave of nausea hit her hard as she closed her eyes and rolled over to her left side to let the bile escape her mouth.  Coughing up the last bits of vomit, she opened her eyes only to regret ever doing so.

            In her line of vision was the gaze of a dead woman lying naked on her kitchen table.  Gasping, she covered her mouth and shook with fright as she recognized the woman as her mother.  Darting her eyes around the room, her gaze fell upon the two mutilated bodies of her father and Mortius.  Flies were already feasting on the congealing blood that spread on the floor like a lake.  Crumpled bits and pieces of flowers lay motionless in the pool of blood like scattered body parts.  Suddenly, the memories of what had happened last night flooded back to her like a tidal wave.  She could still feel the violating touch of a man on her badly bruised body.  Digging her nails into her skin, she tried to scratch out the feeling of his abuse.  

            She sat there and let the reality of the events that took place last night settle into the alcove of her mind.  Her vision was starting to blur as endless streams of tears flowed down her cheeks.  Her body failed to react, her mind refused to think; all she could do was cry.  The tears she shed were for the many things that she had lost in the last few hours:  her parents, her neighbor Mortius, and especially her innocence.  She wanted to run away from the death that was fouling her den.  She didn't want to see the decaying bodies of her loved ones slowly turning into food for maggots and worms.

            Sabina tried to stand, but immediately fell down as she remembered the searing pain in her thighs.  Looking down at her legs, she noticed the trail of dried blood smeared over her inner thighs.  Turning her eyes away from her lost innocence, she immediately focused on her bedroom.  She saw the doorframe to her room and crawled a few inches until her hands touched solid wood.  Using the doorframe to support her, she brought herself to a standing position.  Her legs wobbled as if she was a newborn trying to take her first steps.  Carefully bringing one foot in front of the other, she edged her way closer to her room and saw her bed.  It looked so inviting and welcoming with the slightly ruffled sheets and soft pillow.  She knew she couldn't use the wall as support to get to her bed.  She had only one chance: to push off the wall and hope her legs wouldn't fail her.  She was scared to let go of the doorframe, but the warmth and comfort of her bed helped her overcome that fear as she took one step towards her goal.  Suddenly, her legs buckled under her and she pushed all her weight forward only to land face first onto the soft mattress that seemed to welcome her.

            Darkness began to take over her body as she slowly ebbed between consciousness and sleep.  Her senses started to dull and she found herself curled up in a little ball as her sheets were draped loosely around her body.  A loud bang alerted her senses as she heard someone shouting.  Her heart rate quickened, fearing that her assailants had come back to kill her like they did with her parents.  Then she heard the screams.  They reminded her of her mother's last scream before she was eventually killed.  Pulling the covers over her head, she tried to block out the sounds coming from the den.

            The echo of footsteps was barely audible over her hands and sheets, but she could distinctly discern the sounds of two people calling her name.  Afraid that her attackers knew her name, she remained hidden under the covers and hoped that whoever was in her house, would inevitably be her saviors rather than her end.  She heard the footsteps enter her room and shook violently with fear.  The touch of a person's hand on her shoulder forced her to recoil into an even tighter ball.  _That hand is a man's hand.  He's come back to finish me off!_  

            She would never had broken her defensive barrier if she didn't feel the soft gentle touch of a woman's hand trying to stroke her head.  It was mainly her voice that calmed her: it was so soothing and warm as it told her that everything was going to be fine.  She heard the man speak to the woman and instantly recognized his voice.

            "I can't believe this is happening!  If the men who did this to her are still here, I swear I will kill them" Dagu spoke as he watched his sister trembling.

            "I know you're angry, but right now we need to think about the welfare of your sister.  She's the only one we found alive," Tessia said, trying to calm her husband down.

            "You're right Tessia.  You're always right," relenting to his wife's logic.  He watched his sister with a painful expression as her shaking was slowly starting to subside.  Putting his hand on her shoulder, he called her name hoping that she would open her eyes.

            "Sabina, please open your eyes," Dagu pleaded.

            Cautiously, Sabina cracked her eyelids open to the blurry image of a younger version of her father.  "Dagu?" she said barely above a whisper.

            "Shh, Sabina, you're going to be ok now," Tessia coaxed with her sweet voice.

            Sabina looked to the beautiful woman kneeling beside her brother and remembered the blond-haired beauty who had captured Dagu's heart.  Her eyes were brilliant shade of blue that gave her an angelic aura.  "Tessia?" she said between tears, afraid that her tattered appearance would disgust the beautiful woman.

            Before either Dagu or Tessia could respond, Sabina flung herself onto Dagu's arms and wept.  She was afraid that this was all just a dream and wanted to make sure that the two people in front of her were real.  Tessia put her hand on Sabina's shoulder and she quickly reached out and grabbed it as tight as she could so she wouldn't lose her.  Dagu wanted to fight back the tears that threatened to fall, but seeing that his sister was safe overwhelmed him as he relented to his emotions.  

            Tessia smiled as Sabina's sobs were dying down.  She also wanted to rejoice in the safety of her sister-in-law, but knew that there was much that needed to be done.  Bringing her lips closer to her husband's ear so Sabina couldn't hear, she whispered, "Honey, I think we need to take her with us.  I'll get her cleaned and clothed if you could remove the bodies from the den.  I don't want her to see them as we leave."  She hoped to spare Sabina's eyes from the carnage in her house; unfortunately what was unknown to Tessia was that Sabina had already etched that image forever into the recesses of her memory.

            She watched as her husband nodded in agreement and slowly loosened the embrace of his sister and left the room.  Sabina stared listlessly at Tessia as she sniffled back her last remaining sobs.  

             "Here, let me get you cleaned up," Tessia said to the poor girl.  

            Grabbing a rag, she found a basin that Sabina probably used in the mornings and dunked it in the cool water.  Wringing out the excess water, she brought the rag to Sabina's face, which was caked with dirt and blood.  

            Occasionally, Sabina would wince as the rag made its way over her bruised cheek and the cut that she had on her lower lip.  She was grateful for what Tessia was doing and wanted to smile, but was afraid that it would look awkward with all the bruises and cuts she had.  Her long hair was also a mess as some strands were matted against her lanky body and thin face.  Uncertain as to how to thank her, she settled for a soft, "thank you."

            "You're welcome," Tessia smiled as she concentrated on cleaning the girl.  

            After she had finished cleaning and getting Sabina some fresh clothes, Tessia made sure that all of Sabina's belongings were packed.  She told Sabina to rest while they waited for Dagu.  Tessia knew that it would take some time for her husband to bury his parents and she also wanted to give him time to mourn.  Watching the sleeping figure on the bed, she felt a sudden fit of sadness overcome her.  Dagu always told her stories about his sister and how she was always vibrant and alive.  Tessia knew that her husband was overprotective of her and sometimes she would get jealous as he recounted the many stories of his beloved Sabina.  He said that she was the most innocent person he knew.  Looking down at the girl, Tessia noted that she still retained that innocent appearance, but she knew that Sabina had probably lost it during the attack.  

            Unconsciously, she clutched her stomach and cursed the attackers who had destroyed her husband's village.  She felt as if an integral part of her unborn child's past had been robbed from her.  Her child would never get to meet his or her grandparents and never get to see the small quaint village where she and her husband met.  

            Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the doorframe.  She turned around and saw her husband as he slumped his shoulders in despair and dried the tears from his eyes.  "Is it done?" she asked her husband.

            "It's done.  I'll wait for you outside," he said to his wife as he scuffled out to the door, trying to avoid the large bloodstain on the floor that he wasn't able to remove.  He knew he didn't have time to properly mourn, but he hated how he wasn't here to protect everyone.  He hoped that this trip would've been a joyous reunion: one where he could have told his father about the new addition to the family.  He never thought he would be burying almost all of them.  If only he had arrived one day earlier, then this feeling of guilt wouldn't be so overbearing.  He had let his family down, particularly Sabina.  Now his main priority was to take care of her: his last remaining blood relative.

            Sabina felt Tessia nudge her lightly and she woke up to the sound of her soothing voice.

            "We need to go now," she said to her sister-in-law.

            Reluctantly, she got up and followed Tessia out of her room.  She paused after seeing the large bloodstain on the floor and pulled her cloak tighter around her body.  Catching up to Tessia, she took her first step outside to feel the touch of the wind on her face.  The sun wasn't warming her skin like it usually did since the clouds blocked their rays from reaching the wounded earth.  See looked along the ground to see some wildflowers still swaying lightly with the wind.  She remembered that she had intended to make a bouquet for Tessia.  The flowers she picked were always the sweetest and prettiest.  She wanted to inhale their sweet scent once more before she left, but her nose only caught the odor of burnt wood and flesh.

            Perplexed, she looked to her left where her village was and saw the remnants of what was her childhood home.  Most of the houses had been burned to the ground as the streets were littered with the charred remains of her neighbors.  One of the houses was still burning as the skeletal structure of the house creaked eerily with the crackling of the fire.  Another house collapsed under the weight of the weakened wood and was reduced to nothing but dust and ash.  Her eyes welled up with tears as she clung onto Dagu's arm, afraid that he would also crumble into dust.  He and Tessia were the only people she knew who were still alive and she didn't want to lose either of them, especially Dagu.

            They cautiously walked further and further away from the village, wanting to leave all the destruction behind them.  Tessia watched as Sabina clung to her brother's arm as if he was going to disappear at any minute.  The tall grass they were walking through came up to her waist as she tried to keep an eye on where she was stepping, but unconsciously diverted her attention to her husband and Sabina.  During one of these moments, she had tripped over something on the ground and almost fell down.

            Dagu saw his wife trip and quickly rushed to her side.  "Are you ok?"

            "Yes, I'm fine," embarrassed by her carelessness.  She was going to turn around and see what she had tripped over, but before she had the chance, Sabina's shrill scream pierced the morning air.

            "Crissy?" Sabina almost cried as she stood in shock of the gruesome sight before her.

             The body was almost completely ripped apart, save the face.  Her attackers had apparently dragged her body out into the field and brutalized it beyond recognition.  The ground had been painted with the wild splashes of her blood.  Crissy's face had strangely been left unscathed.  Her white porcelain cheek and lifeless brown eyes made her look more like an intricate doll that had been attached to a broken body.  

            Dagu tried to rip his gaze away from the haunting image of the dead woman as his breaths grew more ragged each second.  He had remembered the girl who had been his neighbor and first crush.  He probably would have married her if he hadn't met Tessia.  Everything from his past had been tainted or destroyed; even the blissful memories that he had as a young boy had been brutally taken away.  Enraged and confused, he quickly grabbed Sabina and his wife by the arm and pulled them away from the death and destruction that was his childhood.  He wanted to get as far away from it as possible and never be reminded of what he saw this day: but none of them would ever be able to banish that memory, no matter how hard they tried.

            Clinging onto Dagu's arm, she nervously surveyed the houses and people around her.  They had traveled for three days now and finally made it to her new home.  As they made their way through the village, everyone said their 'hellos' to Dagu and Tessia while eyeing Sabina curiously.  Her bruises had started to slowly heal, but they were still visible on her face.  Self-consciously, she hid between her brother and Tessia, shielding herself from everyone's stares.  

            Tessia put her arm around Sabina's shoulders as she watched her grip her husband's arm as if it were her lifeline.  She felt so many conflicting emotions as she watched the girl.  Both pity and jealousy seemed to dance around in her head as unlikely partners.  She knew that these feelings would eventually pass, but one cannot forget the life she had before Sabina was ever rescued.  Pushing aside her feelings, she tried to focus on the more important matter at hand, getting Sabina acquainted with her new life.

            A month had passed and Sabina's physical wounds had already healed.  She still clung to her brother, but slowly started to rely on him less and less.  Tessia did all that she could to break the girl out of her protective shell she had built up since they found her.  She tried to talk to her about the baby she and her brother were expecting and how she was going to be an Aunt.  It was what they wanted to tell Sabina's parents on that fateful day.  The topic would occasionally bring smiles to the young girl's face, but every so often Tessia would catch her clutching her stomach as if Sabina unconsciously knew that she was also bearing a heavy burden.  

            Dagu and Tessia knew that some people may have already suspected what had happened to Sabina, but they never mentioned the event outside of their house.  They could sense the slight apprehension of the villagers towards the young girl.  Dagu did his best to protect her, always putting his hand on her shoulder when they walked and making sure that she never left the house alone.  It was all that he could do to keep his last living relative alive, even if seeing her reminded him of everything that he had lost.  Unfortunately, his actions also had its consequences, as gossip would start to spread in the town like a virus.

            No one can really say when it began.  It just started as a feeling, something that can't be seen, proven, or heard: only felt.  Slowly that feeling grew into rumor as soft whispers could be heard all around the village.  The whispers would reach everyone's ear, even Sabina's.  They usually came to her at night, taunting her.  **_You carry a child.  You carry your brother's child!  Whore!  Incestuous slut!  You killed your parents and burned your village!  You plan on killing Tessia to become your brother's wife!  Your child is a bastard!  A demon!  Leave us you harlot!_**  Sabina would try to ignore the whispers because she knew they were wrong, but as it is with rumors, they grow into gossip and eventually become what one would think is the truth; for after time, no one can discern the truth from rumor.

            It had been six months since Sabina was rescued by her brother and sister-in-law and her belly had grown along with Tessia's.  Sabina tried to hide it at first, but once the child had grown to a certain point, there was no hiding the life that was growing inside of her.  The village finally found their evidence to support the rumors that had been plaguing the village.  Dagu and Tessia grew more and more distant towards their young ward as the village gradually tore their relationship apart.  Tessia's emotions were being stretched beyond their limits.  Her pregnancy only enhanced them even more as feelings of jealousy and contempt became apparent towards her sister-in-law.  She wanted to throw her out, but a part of her also said that she didn't deserve to live out in the streets all alone.  Her logic told her that all the rumors were false, but emotions will typically overrule logic; all she was waiting for was a legitimate excuse to hate Sabina.

            Not even Dagu was spared from the aftershocks of countless months of lies.  The once overprotective brother had become cold and broken.  He almost believed the rumors at one point and resorted to drinking to muddle his thoughts.  He thought that saving his sister was the right thing to do, the noble thing.  He never fathomed the consequences of his actions.  It even affected his marriage as memory of the peaceful life he had with his wife six months earlier loomed over his head, mocking him.  He had been quiet about these problems by bottling them up, but he was on the brink of tipping over.

            One night of drinking became particularly heavy.  He normally avoided coming home in a drunken stupor, but so many things had changed.  Opening the door to his house, he staggered to his bedroom where Tessia was sleeping peacefully.  He usually slipped into bed with his wife without hesitation, but tonight something stopped him.  Pausing at the door, his feet led him to the door on the opposite end of the house.  A solid oak door was the only thing blocking his path to his sister's room.  He opened the door with little difficulty as a bit of moonlight illuminated Sabina's sleeping figure.  Burning with a drunken fury, he quickly closed the distance between himself and the bed.  He threw the covers off his sister and covered her mouth with his hand.  

            Sabina panicked as she felt her covers thrown off her body and large hands cover her mouth.  She had had nightmares in the past of that day six months ago, but none were as vivid as this one.  She felt a heavy weight on her legs, like someone was sitting on them.  Opening her eyes she saw the dark shadow of a man hovering over her body.  _This is no dream!  He's back!_  One of her worst fears had returned to haunt her.  She wanted to call out to Dagu or Tessia for one of them to save her, but the hand over her mouth prevented her from screaming.  Trembling, she felt the man's other hand rest on her protruding stomach.

            "This is mine, isn't it?"

            Sabina stiffened when she recognized the voice as her brother's.  Confused, all she could manage to do was shake her head.  

            "You lie!" he shouted.

            She could smell the strong odor of alcohol tainting his breath.  She had heard from her father how liquor and ale could change a man, but she never thought that her brother was one of those men.

            "Why, Sabina?  Why did you have to do it?  Can't you see Tessia and I are suffering?  You didn't need to fuck up our lives!" he screamed as his hands wrapped around Sabina's tiny neck.

            Gasping for air, she tried to wrench her brother's hands off her neck.  Her eyes widened in a state of fear and confusion.  Tears naturally made their way down her face and damped the hand that had a firm grip on her neck.  She searched her brother's eyes for any sign of the Dagu that she knew and loved, but all she saw was her own frightened reflection staring back at her as she started to slowly lose consciousness.  

            Dagu watched as his sister's life was slipping away.  He watched her expression of fear etched all over her face.  His emotions were running madly inside his head in a heated battle.  Hate, fear, love, lust, guilt; they were all fighting amongst each other while he straddled his sister and tried to take her life.  His eyes leered over his sister's body and a sudden fit of desire overtook him.  He broke his grip on her neck and let his hands wander over to her breasts.  

            Sabina gasped for air as she felt Dagu's hands release her neck.  She thought that it was all over, until she felt his hands groping her breasts.  

             "Dagu, don't," she said in a panicked plea.  Her body shook violently as it relived the night she had her innocence and parents taken away from her.  She never realized that her brother would be affected this way.

            Upon hearing Sabina say his name, something stirred in him.  His eyes started to focus and he saw the tear stained face of Sabina lying on the bed while he molested her.  He wanted to stop what he was doing, but his head was spinning so violently that he started to lose focus.  His lips found her neck and he slowly tasted her sweat.  Lying on top of Sabina felt so comfortable and intoxicating.  He let his arms wrap around the girl, careful not to put too much pressure on the baby she was carrying, and relinquished his body and mind to the alcohol pulsating through his bloodstream.

            Sabina trembled at the sensation of her brother licking her neck in a heated passion.  She tried to push him off of her body, but he pulled one of his arms around her like a lover.  She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to fight him off.  Hoping to prevent the inevitable, she tried once more to push Dagu off and finally succeeded.  Panting, she was waiting for him to roll on top of her again, but nothing happened.  She looked over at the man beside her and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that he had passed out.  

            Her body shivered with the thought that she was almost killed and raped by her own brother.  She wanted to tell Tessia, but she wasn't sure if she could or how she would take it.  Before she could decide what she was going to do, the sound of fast approaching footsteps alerted her that someone else was in the room.  She turned to see who it was when the sharp sting of a hand coming across her face almost threw her off the bed.  Sabina covered her left cheek with her hands and looked up at her assailant, Tessia.  Her ice-blue eyes were staring at her menacingly as if she were judging her.

            Tessia had woken-up to the sound of shouting coming from Sabina's room.  Pulling on a robe over her large belly, she walked out of her room to see the door to Sabina's room wide open.  She woke too late to see her husband trying to kill his own sister; all she saw was his body lying on top of Sabina as he caressed her breasts.  Her jealousy surfaced once again, but this time it was followed by betrayal and hatred.  She had found her excuse to hate the young girl who had destroyed her life.  Her mind told her that she was a harbinger of doom who wanted to annihilate the life that she and Dagu desired.  She mustered all her strength and brought her hand back to strike the harlot who was ruining their livelihood.

            "Get out of my house!" Tessia screeched like a banshee.

            Sabina stared dumbfounded at Tessia's sudden violent action.  She wanted to explain, to reason with her, but those cold-blue eyes told her that she was not in the mood to reason.

            Acting on her anger, she grabbed Sabina's long hair and practically dragged her out of her room.  

             "Harlot!  Slut!  You seduced my husband!" as Tessia kicked open the door to her house and tossed the girl out like she was a filthy animal.  

            "Leave!  Take your bastard child away from us!  Take your curse away!" she screamed at Sabina who was kneeling on the ground in shock.  Tessia grabbed the closest cloak that was hanging on the wall and threw it at the girl in anger while shouting various obscenities.

            Sabina eyed the red cloak that had been thrown at her and quickly wrapped it around her body as she slowly stood up.  Half the village heard Tessia's frantic screams and watched in eager amusement at the scene unfolding before them.  Sabina looked over to the villagers for any sign of comfort or sympathy, but there was none.  Hesitantly taking a few steps further away from the pregnant madwoman cursing her very existence, Sabina put her hands over her stomach protectively and ran.  

            She ran away from the house and out of the village.  Tessia's frantic screams were getting fainter and fainter as her legs carried her toward the far plains.  Panting, she struggled to climb a small hill that overlooked the village she had resided in for the past six months.  Tears still streaked down her face as she took a last look at the town.  A few lights danced in the moonlight, laughing at her.  The two people who were the last remnants of her family had betrayed her.  Turning her back to the village, she started to walk into the mysterious darkness of the bitter world and prayed for hope, for now she was alone.

____________

End of The Trunk

A/N 2:  This is actually the second draft of this chapter.  The first draft was eaten by my computer so I had to stay up late and retype everything.  


	4. The Branches

Note:    I do not own Berserk, nor the rights to it.  That belongs to Miura-Sensei.

A/N:     This is where the fan starts to catch on fire. The Branches 

**Chapter 4 of 5**

            The trees swayed in unison to the wind's conduction.   Brightly colored leaves danced around while branches creaked lightly as part of nature's orchestra.  A young girl with a red cloak walked through the woods as the only audience member to the performance.  Her naked feet made its own sound of applause as it crushed some of the dry leaves that had already fallen on the ground.  Though music typically has the magic to soothe, the girl could find no solace in the sounds of the forests.  

            Sabina had never stopped moving after last night's events.  The smell of alcohol still lingered in her memory.  Her cheek had bruised slightly from Tessia's hand, but that paled in comparison to the pain in her heart.  She knew that Dagu and Tessia had grown distant towards her when everyone in the village discovered that she was pregnant; the rumors had hurt them much more than Sabina had realized.  She didn't want to believe that the two people who were her only family would reject her.  But she wasn't blind to their deteriorating relationship.  If they silently ignored her, she probably would have been capable of accepting that; however, it was a degrading rejection she experienced and that gnawed at her heart and soul.

            Streaks of salty tears ran down her face like two rivers.  She wiped them occasionally with the sleeve of the nightgown she slept in last night.  It and the red cloak were the only two articles of clothing that she took with her when she was forced out of the house and village.  Her legs were weary and sleep threatened to take over her consciousness soon.  The sun had barely peaked its head over the horizon to warm the earth.  She longed for some fresh water to quench her parched throat and food to feed her hungry stomach; after all, she wasn't eating for herself anymore.

            Gently placing both her hands on her jutting stomach, she looked down at the place where her child was safely resting.  She had mixed feelings ever since she found out she was pregnant.  She was both scared and confused when she noticed it had been two months since her last bleeding.  At one point, she even felt anger towards the man who did this to her, but she knew she couldn't change the past.  She now had the responsibility of raising a child, something that she had always wanted.

            She remembered a memory from two years ago when one of her neighbors was pregnant.  Sabina could recall the excitement she shared along with the expectant mother; she even had these similar moments with Tessia before the rumors started to spread.  Sabina used to love visiting her neighbor while she still carried the child in her womb.  She watched as her neighbor would cradle her stomach as if she were able to hold the child before it was born.  She had loved it like it was a part of her body and very existence.  Even Tessia shared those feelings.  Perhaps it was some unspoken duty that women instinctively took during motherhood.  When the child was born, it was a beautiful baby boy; that day Sabina vowed that she would also be a mother who would care for her child as lovingly, if not more so, than her neighbor.

            _It looks like it's just the two of us from now on.  She laughed at herself for thinking that her child could read her thoughts.  _Even if you can't understand me, I really can't blame you or hate you for everything that's happened.  You're innocent.  _A smile crept up her face as she recalled the lectures her mother had given her about children and a mother's role in raising them.  __I hope that I can be as great a mother to you as all the women I've known, even my own mother, but don't be disappointed if I don't seem to know what I'm doing.  Her maternal reveries rejuvenated Sabina, as she pressed on with a new determination.  _

            Walking further into the woods, the distant sounds of horses and people talking alerted her senses.  She hoped that she could find someone to give her some food and water to help her on her journey or at least direct her to the next village.  She wasn't quite sure where she was going to go, as long as she found the safety of shelter, she would be content.  Quickening her pace, she held one hand to her stomach while using the other to block the low hanging branches from scratching her face.  The sounds got louder as she closed the distance between herself and the people.  The images of legs and bodies walking finally came into view.  Clearing free of the foliage, she leaned against a tree while panting for breath and watched the procession of people slowly pass her by without taking any notice to the strange girl who had come out of the woods.

            Elly usually always watched the wagon in front of her whenever they traveled on the road.  She never liked having her eyes stray upon the lands around her.  It reminded her too much of what she had left long ago or why she left it.  Far too often the countryside would be littered with corpses leftover from battles or burnt fields pillaged by deserters.  In the instant that they were passing by the edge of a forest, the wind somehow blew her attention to break her usual indifferent stare to look to her left.  Her eyes met those of a young girl no older than fifteen who was leaning against a tree panting for breath.  Then she noticed the girl's belly and her eyes widened.

            "Logos!  Stop the wagon!" she said in a breath before jumping off of the wagon towards the young girl.

            Sabina saw the woman make eye contact with her and jump off her wagon.  She was relieved that someone had finally noticed her and sighed as she tried to steady her breath so she would be able to speak when the woman finally reached her.  Much to her surprise, she noticed that the woman was actually running towards her with look of panic.  Long tresses of light brown hair bounced up and down with each step.  The older woman finally reached Sabina and she smiled, hoping that would lighten the mood.

            "Thanks you for stopping, I was--" Sabina managed to stammer, but she was interrupted by the woman who had rushed to her side.

            "How far apart are the bursts of pain?  Has it been long since your water broke?  Don't worry, I can help you deliver the baby if necessary," Elly spat out, hoping that the girl wasn't about to deliver a baby along the side of the road.

            Sabina stared at the woman confused and perplexed at the questions she was throwing at her.  She thought that the woman presumed that she was going into labor, but she wasn't quite sure.  

            "Um, I'm not actually--"

            "There's no time for that!  Just rest here while I get someone to fetch some clean water and a rag," Elly said while putting her hand on Sabina's wrist to check her pulse and then proceeding to check her temperature with the back of her free hand.  "Logos!  I need help here!"

            Sabina watched as a tall burly man with dark stringy hair and a bearded face slowly approach them.  

            "What's wrong woman?" Logos scowled.  He looked down at the two women with a piercing gaze and only narrowed them even more as he looked at Sabina.

            "Can't you see the poor child's in labor?  Get me some supplies!" Elly shouted at the man.

            The man never tore his judgmental stare from Sabina as Elly barked orders at him.  There was a mixture of recognition and resentment in his eyes.  

            "Do you know who she looks like?" Logos redirected his glare to Elly.

            "Yes, but she needs help!"

            Sabina watched as the two bickered and wasn't sure what to do or say.  She finally got to courage to open her mouth once again.

            "Um, ma'am?  I'm not in labor yet.  I was just running through the forest and then stumbled upon your caravan.  I'm sorry for scaring you," Sabina said to Elly, who somehow heard her through Logos' shouting.

            "Oh, you're not?" Elly turned to Sabina with a look of embarrassment and shock.  "I'm sorry, I just saw you grabbing your stomach and panting and I assumed--"

            "It's ok.  I was wondering if you could possibly spare some food and water," Sabina said softly, hoping that they would agree.

            Rather than answer Sabina's question, Elly looked at the child with worry and concern, "Where are you going child?"

            Shocked once again, she wasn't quite sure how to answer the woman's question, "I don't know."

            Elly softened after hearing Sabina's reply and turned to Logos.  She let her eyes do all the talking for her as the man shook his head at her.

            "Don't give me that look woman!  I know what you're thinking," Logos said as he slowly turned to walk back to the wagon.

            "Then can we?" Elly asked.

            Logos paused and turned his head to look at Sabina once more.  His gaze was still piercing and bitter.  Turning around again he shouted, "Cut her hair, then she can stay."

            Elly smiled and quickly turned her attention to the young girl, "You can stay with us.  That way you can get all the food and water you need.  My name is Elsalene, but everyone calls me Elly.  What's your name child?"

            "Sabina, ma'am," she said, shocked at what had just transpired.

            "Sabina, what a pretty name," Elly said as she led her to the wagon.

            As they made the short distance to the wagon, Sabina noticed that people were still walking past them following the caravan.  She perceived the eyes of many strangers looking at her, but instead of the gaze of curiosity that she got from the villagers the first time they saw her; these people gave her a look of familiarity, as if she was someone they had seen before.  One person in particular caught her attention more so than the others, mainly because he smiled at her.  He was a young boy, probably around her age, but she wasn't quite sure.  His hair was partly blond and partly brown, a light sandy color.  She watched as a dark haired boy poked him in the ribs and teased him as they continued to follow the procession.

            Elly pulled back the curtain to the rear of the wagon and helped lift Sabina into it.  Sabina sat down on the hardwood floor of the wagon and looked at her surroundings.  Four small heads started crawling towards her like kittens mewing for their mother's milk.  As the foursome all approached Sabina at the same time, they all also talked at the same time.

            "Who's the new girl?"

            "Wow, she's going to have a baby!"

            "Hi, I'm Felicia, let's be friends."

            "Is it a boy or a girl?"

            Elly soon joined Sabina's side and saved her from the salvo of curious questions coming out of the girls' mouths.  "Girls!  Mind your manners!"

            At once, all four girls backed up, giving Sabina her needed space.  She suddenly felt the wagon lurch forward, almost hurtling her backward onto the floor.  Elly caught Sabina and then turned to the four curious girls.

            "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Sabina.  She'll be traveling with us from now on," the older woman smiled and motioned for the girls to come a little closer.  "Sabina, let me introduce you to everyone.  First is Emiya, the youngest girl all the way to the right.  Next are Clothea and her sister D'lynn who are both little chatterboxes.  Finally, we come to Felicia who's on the left."

            The girls each nodded their heads as their names were being called so Sabina could identify which girl Elly was referring to.  Sabina smiled at each of them, hoping that they could all eventually become friends.  She had lost all her childhood friends to the attack and hadn't made any new ones while at Tessia and Dagu's village.  

            "Hi, nice to meet you all," Sabina said as she bowed her head slightly.

            Felicia was the first to speak as she came up to Sabina and extended her hand, "Hi, I'm Felicia," the dark haired girl replied with a huge grin.  The girl was the oldest of the group, but she was only thirteen.

            Sabina accepted the girl's hand and felt at ease as the remaining girls accepted her into their little playgroup.  Clothea offered her some water and her sister D'lynn some bread.  Sabina accepted both gratefully and let her body relax to their warm reception.  She even let Emiya touch her stomach, hoping to feel the baby kick.  The girls wanted to talk to Sabina even longer, but Elly told them to leave Sabina alone for the moment and asked for a pair of sheers from the supply box.  Felicia, the oldest of the group obediently complied with Elly's orders.  Sabina remembered that the man Elly referred to as Logos had told her to cut her hair.  She had never had short hair and was confused by his order.

            Elly carefully brushed Sabina's long brown hair with her hands as she readied the sheers.  "Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit."

            Sabina nodded, "Why must I cut it?"

            Elly paused in mid-stroke as she pondered the best way to answer the question, "You look like our daughter."

            "Is that man your husband?" Sabina said, thinking about the man with the piercing gaze.

            Elly laughed at her question, "You could say that.  I won't bore you with the details."

            Sabina was puzzled by that comment.  Her answer didn't make any sense, since she had never come across any women who have had children without having a husband.  Touching her belly, her confusion died down and she thought she finally understood what the woman meant.  

            More questions burned in her mind as she asked the first thing that popped up.  "What happened to your daughter?" Sabina said as she felt the cold metal of the sheers brush against the back of her neck.

            Elly paused once again at Sabina's question.  "She was almost exactly like you.  The same age, the same look, the same problem," Elly said sadly as she diverted her eyes from Sabina's belly and concentrated on her hair.

            Sabina felt her head getting lighter as Elly proceeded to cut chunks of the young girl's hair and throw it out the back of the wagon, as if she were offering it to the earth.  She realized that she probably shouldn't have quenched her curiosity and remained silent as Elly finished the job.

            "There you go, all done!" as Elly teased Sabina's hair with her hands.

            Sabina let her hands wander to her freshly cut hair.  It was about shoulder length, the shortest it had ever been.  She was afraid that she wouldn't like having short hair, but the change felt refreshing.  "Thank you, if feels nice."

            "Don't worry dear.  Now, Sabina, let me ask you a few questions," Elly said softly.

            Sabina turned her body so that she was facing the woman and nodded her head to indicate that she was listening.

            "Why were you in the woods all by yourself and where is the father of your child?"

            It was now Sabina's turn to become silent, as she wasn't quite sure where to start or how to answer.  But Elly didn't pressure her to hurry as she gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

            "Did he do this?" Elly gently brushed the bruise on her face.

            Sabina shook her head.  Her voice still failed her as she pursed her lips in thought.

            "You don't have to answer right now if you don't want.  I know you're tired.  I can see it in your eyes.  Just rest and you can tell me when you wake," Elly said sympathetically.

            Sabina was startled that Elly was so perceptive.  She felt the weight of sleep gradually taking its toll on her body.  "Yes, I am a bit tired," Sabina said as she rubbed her eyes.  Without saying another word, she put her head in Elly's lap and let herself fall into a quiet slumber.

            The smell of meat and roasted potatoes caused Sabina to stir in her sleep.  Her baby also smelled the appetizing aroma and kicked in response.  Feeling the slight discomfort in her stomach, she carefully pushed herself up and noticed that the wagon had stopped moving.  Looking around her, none of the girls she had met earlier were around.  She looked out the rear of the wagon and saw that one of the curtains was lifted up and a pair of hazel eyes started back at her.  The eyes belonged to the sandy-haired boy who had smiled at her earlier.  

            "Hi," she said shyly, uncertain of what to do.

            "Hi," he replied as he pulled the curtain up a bit more revealing the haze of the afternoon sky.

            Before Sabina could ask for his name, Elly's voice burst through like a wild horse.

            "Nicholas!  Get your head out of the wagon and leave the girl alone!" 

            The boy blotted out towards a crowd of men and waved to Sabina as his figure grew smaller and smaller.  Elly shook her head at the boy as she climbed into the wagon with a plate of food and bread.  

            "Here, I brought you some supper.  Go ahead and enjoy, I'm sure you and the baby need it," she said as she placed the food right in front of Sabina.

            "Thank you!" Sabina said politely as she hungrily ate the hearty meal.

            Elly watched in amusement as Sabina devoured the food.  She wanted to ask once again why Sabina was here.  It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for young girls to get pregnant and run away.  Her daughter, Arissa, had done the same.  She closed her eyes as she tried not to think about her lost daughter whom she hadn't seen or heard from in five years: five agonizing years of worry and pain.  She opened her eyes and gazed as Sabina.  A bit of hope seemed to heal a wound in her shattered heart.  She was thankful that she had found her.  It was as if Sabina was her second chance; her time to right the wrong that happened with her daughter.  All Elly knew was that she had to make sure that Sabina lived.

            Sabina finished her meal and pat her stomach contently.  She felt Elly's eyes watching her and looked up to see pain and loss in her eyes.  It looked as if she was mourning for someone she couldn't save: someone who Sabina resembled.  Remembering what Elly had said to her earlier, she gathered that she was thinking about her daughter.  Wanting to take the woman's mind off her loss, Sabina decided to tell Elly her story.

            "My village was attacked about six months ago.  My mother and father were killed, as well as everyone else.  I was . . . I was raped, that night," Sabina managed to utter, quietly letting the tears shed once more.  "I was lucky though, and my brother Dagu and his wife Tessia came and rescued me . . . but I wasn't accepted."  Sabina struggled to find the words.

            Elly sensed the uneasiness rise in the young girl as she tried to recount her story.  Pulling the girl into a hug, she whispered into her ear, "It's ok, you don't have to finish tonight."

            Sabina nodded as she sniffled back a few tears.  "I still don't understand though."

            "What don't you understand child?" Elly said as she rubbed Sabina's arms.

            "Why was I the only one to survive?  Why didn't I die along with everyone else, my friends, my neighbors . . . my parents," sobbing as she said the last two words.

            "Maybe you have a greater purpose in life?  Perhaps your child may have something to do with it.  Destiny is never certain, it only guides us," Elly said as she mused over what she was to say next.  "We all want to try and control our destinies, but it's really out of our control.  Though men still try to grab it with their own hands, some men think they are above the laws of destiny, but none of them ever consult in the opinion of a woman."

            Sabina was perplexed by Elly's words.  She had never really thought of her destiny or purpose in life.  She mainly chose to live it without thinking about any ulterior motive.  She looked down at her stomach and stroked it.  _I wonder what your purpose is?  I hope it's a good one._

            Elly watched Sabina stroke her belly and smiled.  She was relieved that this girl had no reservations about her pregnancy.  She wondered if her daughter had eventually found the same feelings of motherhood that Sabina displayed.  Elly knew that she was still young to be a grandmother, but she wondered what it would have been like and whether or not she could ever experience that feeling.

            The two women talked the night away and as darkness crept up upon the light of the sun's rays, Sabina started to trust the woman in front of her.  She eventually confided the whole story about why she was here, including all the events that took place with Dagu and Tessia.  She never faltered when she tried to tell her story the second time around; in fact, it relieved her.  That night, Sabina was able to leave behind her past and focus on her future with her new home.

            A month had passed and Sabina's stomach grew slightly larger each day.  She had become close friends with the four young girls she had met in the wagon.  She noticed that there were few children who traveled with the caravan.  She also found it strange that whenever they stopped near a town, Elly would confine Sabina and the rest of the girls to the wagon.  She always told them never to leave the wagon while all the adults were away on business.

            Sabina had asked once what everyone did in the town.  Elly only replied that they offered their 'services' to the townsfolk while the men searched for expendable valuables.  Sabina had gotten used to Elly's enigmatic answers.  If Sabina had ever been told about prostitutes and thieves, then she might have been able to understand the double meaning behind her response.

            The young girl also never knew about the things that happened when everyone was quietly asleep.  In fact, few people who traveled with the caravan knew about the dark rituals and seductive gyrations that filled the forests with screams of ecstasy and pain.  There were only the rumors of a man with a goat's head who would loom over the creatures of the night like a plague, infecting everyone with lust.  Even Elly would never know about some of her companions' nocturnal habits.  Neither of them would ever learn that this group was the reason why they were being hunted.

            During her time traveling with the caravan, Sabina had noticed that on occasion, the procession would quicken their pace and cautiously watch their surroundings as if they were expecting someone to attack them.  Even the large and burly Logos eyed his surrounding with a hint of apprehension.  

            She never knew what they were watching for, until one day during part of their journey she heard the yell, which instantly threw the caravan into a state of panic.  It was a simple two words, "Chain Knights."  But those words were like a death's calling card.  Sabina saw Logos' eyes widen with fear and he quickly whipped the horses, urging them to speed up.  She was almost thrown onto the floor of the wagon as the horses quickened their pace.  She noticed that all the girls started to huddle together as if they were also frightened by those words.  

            "Elly, what's going on?  Who are the Chain Knights?" she said hoping for an explanation for everyone's behavior.

            "They're actually called the Holy Iron Chain Knights, but we refer to them as the Chain Knights for short.  They are the enforcers of the Church of Midland doing everything from spreading their beliefs to persecuting those who oppose them.  They are more widely known for how they persecute heretics and are on a mission to rid Midland of every last one of them.  Unfortunately, they think we are one of them," Elly said with a low monotone voice.

            "We're heretics?  But how?" Sabina asked.

            "They think that we are denouncing the name of God as we travel from town to town.  I also don't think they approve of what we do," she answered.

            "But, are you?" Sabina asked curiously.

            "Neither Logos nor I have done anything that would warrant our deaths by their hands, but I can't really speak for the others.  It really doesn't matter because the Chain Knights don't care whether you individually are innocent.  They've already condemned our whole group.  In their eyes, not even children can escape divine retribution.  Clothea and D'lynn's parents were burned alive, Logos' brother had been hung, and even that boy Nicholas who was peeping in on your while you slept lost his older sister to the Chain Knights.  We have all been affected."

            Sabina digested all the information and finally understood everyone's fear for these people.  She also understood that she would have to protect her unborn child from the many dangers of this world, one of which was the Chain Knights.

            The morning sun rose to greet the men and women of the traveling caravan.   Sabina and the girls were playing along an embankment trying to race leaves and twigs down the small creek.  Elly had asked that Sabina watch the children while everyone else tended to their own duties.  She and Felicia would always keep the younger ones in line while the adults went out to do their 'work.'  The pair sat down close to the children and played with each other's hair.  Sabina was working with Felicia's light brown hair that reached past her ears while watching the other girls out of the corner of her eye.

            Unconsciously, Sabina started to hum a soft tune that her mother had taught her.  Felicia turned around to sit face-to-face with Sabina as she continued to hum the enchanting melody.

            "Wow, Sabina!  That's beautiful," Felicia praised.

            "Thanks, my mother taught me that song.  She always used to hum it while she was cooking," recalling the various times she heard it escape her mother's lips.

            "Do you think your baby can hear you?" Felicia mused.

            "I don't know.  I've tried talking to him before, but I'm not sure if he can hear me," Sabina said as she looked down at her round belly.

            "So you think it's a boy?  You keep on referring to the baby as a 'him'," Felicia carefully observed.

            "I'm actually not sure.  But one of the women in the camp said that by looking at my stomach, she could tell that it was going to be a boy," trying to determine what it was about her stomach that made the child a boy.

            "Do you want a boy?" Felicia asked.

            "I wouldn't mind."

            "He'd have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders," Felicia said trying to sound mature.  "At least, that's what Elly told me when I asked her whether a boy was better or a girl."

            "What did she say about having a girl?" curious as to Elly's answer.

            "She said that the girl would have to bear the burdens of the world and be the shoes for men and their ambitions," Felicia recounted with a confused look on her face.  "I hope I'm not trampling over any baby girl's with my boots," Felicia said as she looked at her tiny boots that were constantly attached to her feet.

            Sabina also looked at Felicia's boots as the girl took a twig and started to scrape off some mud that had caked onto the sides of the soles.  She wished she could ask Elly in person what she meant when she told Felicia those strange things.  She wasn't sure if she wanted to have her son shoulder the world's weight like the Titan Atlas; only a great man could accomplish that task without being crushed.  The options her daughter would have also didn't sound appealing, as she would have to suffer under the heel of man's ambitions.  It would take a woman with great will and strength to accomplish the impossible of rising above man so she could walk along with him, rather than under.

            Her internal reveries were interrupted by the voice of a boy trying to get her attention.  She looked up to lock her eyes with those of a familiar hazel.  He was the same boy who had smiled at her when she first met Elly.  His sandy-brown hair went a bit past his ears, but it wasn't unkempt or wiry like Logos' hair.  He stammered a bit, trying to find the right words and scratched the back of his head while looking over at his dark-haired friend who was nudging the boy's side with his elbow.  

            "Uh, hi!  I'm Nicholas!" the boy finally said after finding the right amount of courage.

            "Hi, my name's Sabina," Sabina replied as she stared up at the shy boy.  

            Felicia had noticed Nicholas eyeing her friend ever since Elly found her and let a small giggle escape her lips while she watched the two talk to each other.

            "Yeah, I know," he said with a smile before he was jabbed in the side again by the boy next to him.  "Oh, and this guy over here is Corkus, but he's about to leave now," Nicholas said as he glared at his friend.

            Corkus shrugged and walked away with both his hands resting against the back of his head like he hadn't a care in the world.  Felicia watched the dark-haired boy leave and decided that she should also let the two have some private time to get to know each other.  

            "Sabina, I'm going to go down to the bank to make sure Emiya, Clothea, and D'lynn aren't getting into any trouble," she said as she winked before taking off in a carefree sprint down the embankment.

            Sabina didn't even have time to answer Felicia before she saw her friend dash down the hill.  She wanted to have Felicia by her side when she talked with Nicholas.  It wasn't because she didn't care for the boy or that he was a threat; he simply made her feel incredibly self-conscious and nervous.  

            "May I sit down with you?" Nicholas asked cautiously, as if he were just as nervous as she was.

            "Um, yes!  Please," she said as she patted a spot on the grass where he could sit.

            Nicholas sat down and put his arms around his knees while he tried to think of something to say.  He watched Sabina out of the corner of his eye and wondered what it was about this girl that attracted him.  He knew that she was pretty, but it was something about her that made him want to know her better.  His eyes turned towards her large belly that carried her child and he finally thought of a topic of conversation.

            "So . . . are you excited about having a baby?" he said uneasily.

            "Yes, I really am.  I've always wanted to be a mother.  I just hope I'm ready for it," Sabina smiled.

            "I'm sure you are.  But is there a father?" Nicholas asked hesitantly, hoping that her answer would be 'no.'

            Sabina paused for a second to think about his question.  She knew that her child needed a father, but had never thought about it until now.  "No . . . no there isn't," Sabina said sadly, realizing that she would never know the man who was supposed to be her child's father.

            "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Nicholas said a little too happily.  His mood changed when he noticed how sad Sabina looked.  He had heard from Elly that she was raped, which made him even more resolute to make this next decision.  "I could be the father!" he said a little too quickly.

            "Huh?" Sabina said confused and uncertain if the boy next to her really said what she thought he said.

            "Um, well.  Only if you really want me too, I mean don't know anything about how to raise a kid.  All I want to do is help," he said seriously and hesitantly, anticipating the worst.

            "Why do you want to help me?" she said still shocked at his sudden outburst.

            "I don't know.  I just do.  But maybe we should become friends first?  I know what I said was a bit sudden.  But you don't have to answer my question until you're ready, at least the one about me being your child's father," he quickly propositioned, hoping to save his hopes of getting closer to her.

            "I've never had a boy as a friend before," Sabina said to herself.  She gazed once more into his hazel eyes and saw the warmth and hope that they held.  

            She still wasn't sure why she felt so nervous around him, but those eyes told her that she could trust him.  She didn't know if she would let him be the father to her child: that was a decision she didn't want to make hastily.  But his offer was very honest and she did want to be at least friends.  

            "Ok, let's be friends," Sabina said as she extended her right hand.

            Nicholas' eyes glowed after he saw her extend her hand to his.  Following suit, he took her hand in his and shook it firmly, "friends!"

            Over the next month, Sabina and Nicholas would become closer together and they truly became friends.  She eventually learned to trust him completely and wanted to extend that trust to her own child.  He had never pressed the question about Sabina's decision for letting him be the father to her child, but he somehow knew that she trusted him enough.  Sabina wanted to wait until the child was born before she would accept his offer, but he would never get the chance to even see the child that he offered to raise.

            Sabina was now eight and a-half months into her pregnancy.  She felt more and more discomfort each day.  It was difficult to sleep and her back ached constantly with a dull pain.  Elly was both excited and happy as she watched the young girl patiently.  She had thought that Sabina was in labor when she first met her, but now she wished that the girl would have the baby as soon as possible.  Elly had gotten closer to Sabina, as if she were the replacement for her lost daughter.  She desperately wanted to feel what it was like to be a grandparent, but she had to wait until the baby was ready to come out.

            It had rained recently making the roads difficult for the large wagon, as it slowly trekked through the mud.  Eventually, it got stuck in a large pool of water and the girls felt the wagon stop to an abrupt halt.  They heard Logos cursing wildly and calling for some of the men to help them push the wagon out.

            "Ok girls, we need to get out of the wagon so they can get it out of the mud," Elly said while clapping her hands in a commanding fashion.

            Nicholas ran over and helped Sabina get out of the wagon.  The other girls snickered as they watched the couple's short interlude.  He wanted to stand by her side, but he offered to help push the wagon.   Helping Sabina walk over to where the other girls were standing, he gave her a quick wink and ran over to help the other men.

            The girls stood off to the side and watched as six men, including Logos and Nicholas, pushed the wagon out of the mud.  Mud was starting to coat the men in a dark sludge as they tried to get enough force under the wagon to lift it out of the thick sludge.  Nicholas' hair was beginning to turn into a dark brown as mud found its way to the boy's head.  Logos was the only one who seemed to be spared from most of the grime as the tall man used careful steps and motions that the others seemed to neglect.  It took the third try for them to finally push the wagon forward to drier ground.  The men cheered in triumph as finally freed the wagon from the muddy earth.

            "Let me get some water for you all," Elly said as she hoped into the back of the wagon to grab the sheepskin filled with water.  

            Logos had made his way back to the front of the wagon where he waited until everyone was ready to leave.  The men quietly stretched their arms while Sabina and the girls huddled close to keep themselves warm from the winter chill.  She tried to wrap her red cloak around her body, but her stomach prevented the fabric from reaching around.  Suddenly, one of the men yelled the words that no one was expecting, but everyone feared.  

            "The Chain Knights are coming!"

            Sabina saw the man point at something behind her and then take off in sprint followed by many of the other men.  She looked behind her and saw them.  One of them was riding on a horse carrying a lance like a messenger of doom.  He was followed by several men who ran on foot carrying elaborate swords and shields that shone like a star in the light.  

            The familiar cracking of a whip alerted her and she turned around to where Logos, Elly, and Nicholas were.  Before Sabina could find any of these familiar faces, she saw the wagon start to move as Logos cracked his whip madly.  The horses finally took off in a full gallop away from the Chain Knights and away from the girls.

            Elly heard the scream and before she could react, felt the wagon jerk forward and fell down onto the hard floor.  She rushed to the back of the wagon only to see the frightened figure of the girls getting smaller and smaller each second.  Sabina watched helplessly as Elly's hand reached out in a vain attempt to grab hold of one of them, any of them.  Elly's eyes burned with anger and sadness as she saw Sabina stare back at her.  She could tell that the young girl saw Elly's futile attempts to save them, but that's all that they were: futile.  She knew that Sabina and the rest of the girls were going to die.  There was no possible way for a pregnant woman to run from trained knights, even the other girls would not be able to outrun them.  Elly felt the same pain and helplessness as when she saw her daughter run-off into the night.  She kept her eyes on the figures of the girls until they faded into tiny specks on the horizon, fading like the hope that she carried.  Once again, man had taken destiny into his own hands without asking her opinion. 

            Sabina stared in shock as she watched Elly be carried away from them in the wagon.  All the men had already started running at a full sprint following the path Logos was taking.  She looked at all the figures and found Nicholas' along with them.  She only saw the back of his head as his image grew smaller and smaller the faster and farther he ran.  Sabina reached her hand out as if she was trying to catch him, but couldn't.  She watched silently as his figure faded along with the horizon and she realized that they were now going to die.  A familiar feeling of emptiness and betrayal coursed through her body, making her apathetic to the looming presence of death.  One only thing ran through her mind as she heard the sounds of the Chain Knights getting closer:  he never looked back.

___________

End of The Branches

A/N:     Last chapter coming soon.  


	5. The Noose and the Corpse

Note:    I do not own Berserk, nor the rights to it.  That belongs to Miura-Sensei.

A/N:     This is where the fire caused by the fan burns everything around it to the ground. The Noose and the Corpse 

Chapter 5 of 5 

            Her eyes welled up with tears as she gazed helplessly at the horizon.  Tiny hands grabbed her arms trying to pull her away, but Sabina stood her ground not even noticing the gentle pleas coming from Emiya.  The footsteps of six men echoed in her ears, resonating the sounds of death with each footfall.  She saw Felicia, Clothea, and D'lynn run past her in a vain attempt to escape the swiftly approaching Chain Knights, but their passage was blocked as the man on horseback galloped past them, shutting off their last chance to live.

            The Chain Knights finally closed in on their prey and formed a tight circle around them.  Emiya buried her head in Sabina's side and tried to block out the faces of the soldiers who hovered around them like vultures.  Unconsciously, Sabina put her hand on the girl's head trying to comfort her.  Felicia held on to Clothea and D'lynn as her entire body trembled with fear.

            The man on horseback watched the girls indifferently.  He hoped that they would have been able to catch more of the heretics, but had to settle for the five girls quaking before him.  His men were waiting for his orders as he silently deliberated over how to properly persecute them.  He smirked as the image of a certain oak tree crossed his mind.  

            "Take them to the great oak!" he commanded.

            The girls looked at each other confused and frightened as to what they would see at the great oak.  Sabina felt a blunt object jab itself into her side and she lurched forward as the men prodded them with their weapons to force them to move.  They all silently complied and took the first steps toward impending doom.  The girls were being led to the slaughter like cattle: knowing that they were to die, but uncertain how.

            Seconds turned to minutes, but to the five girls marching to meet their death, each second felt like an eternity.  It's strange how life feels like it's moving too fast for you to catch up with, but when you are faced with death, your last minutes become sluggish nexuses of time.  The group passed over a small hill and the faint image of a large tree could be seen off in the distance. 

            Long branches stretched out at awkward angles, some reached for the sky and others dropping straight down.  At first glance, Sabina thought that it was a weeping willow they were approaching, until she noticed that the branches that appeared to grow straight down to the ground weren't branches.  Fear pulsated through her and settled in her chest as she saw the bodies decorating the tree like prize ornaments.  A few corpses had been there for years as their skeletons moved hauntingly.  There were two that looked fresh, as if they had been hung only a few days or weeks before.  Crows picked at their desiccated skin to make a meal out of the flesh that still remained.  The images of the bodies only showed the girls what they would eventually become, catching a glimpse of their own deaths.

            Sabina tried to choke back the sobs as she watched the bodies of her four friends dangle lifelessly from the tree.  She felt a sudden wave of pain hit her stomach again, as if her own child knew what was going to happen.  Sabina had dreamed of how she was going to raise her child.  She hoped that he or she would never live the hardships that she had to endure, but all those hopes and dreams were being destroyed as the noose started to tighten around her neck.  Now she prayed that the child would die with her and never have to live in this cruel, uncaring world.  

            Her body was quickly lifted off the ground and on reflex she reached her hands to the rope around her neck.  Her legs kicked helplessly in the open air.  Then Sabina felt something burst inside her and her hands flew instantly to her stomach.  Amniotic fluid gushed out of her womb, flowing down her legs like two waterfalls.  _No, please.  Not now!  _Her vision blurred and the pain in her stomach felt numb: she was dying.  Her legs only wavered, as her hands could no longer hold on to her stomach protectively.  The body stopped first as her mind gradually lost its hold on her consciousness until everything turned into nothing.

            Mercenaries rode their horses through the muddy road led by their leader, Gambino.  They strode cautiously as the grotesque image of the tree strung with corpses appeared around the corner.  The bodies of five young girls swayed back and forth as if they were still alive.  Blood ran down the legs of one of the girls and dropped bit by bit on a small bundle of flesh a few feet below.

            A woman saw the small bundle lying helplessly on the ground and quickly hoped off the cart she was riding in to rush to its aide.  The bundle was a baby boy, newly born from the body of the girl once known as Sabina.  The estranged woman cradled the baby in her arms as if she once had one of her own, or desired one but lost it.

            "Hey Shizu!" Gambino yelled at the woman, but she didn't listen and continued to hold the baby.

            "How long do you intend to do that?  Pull yourself together, that kid's already dead!" Gambino shouted as he forced the woman to drop the child.

            But the child wasn't dead as the shock of the fall woke him and he cried for the first time.  Shizu quickly picked him up and carried the newborn back to the cart where she cradled it in her arms as if it were hers.  A wave of uncertainty and fear ebbed through the line of mercenaries as they saw the birth of a child under a corpse as a bad omen; for surely life cannot be born out of death.

            The men bickered about the boy, but in the end Gambino let Shizu have him, thinking that it would be a bandage to help heal her shattered heart.  He also hoped that the child would eventually die of diseases, but a child who is born out of the lifeless body of a woman cannot be killed by something as simple as a virus.  Gambino led his men away from the gruesome scene taking the boy with them.  The body of a once pregnant woman looked on with her lifeless eyes; never knowing that her prayer was never answered.  Some greater force must have played a role in keeping the boy alive: some all-knowing, all-seeing being.  Something that knew he would become a major gear in the clockwork that binds humanity to its fate.

_______________

End of the Noose and the Corpse

A/N 2:  Yay!  Finally done.  Please let me know what you think and whether or not I did a decent job.  Thanks for those who have already reviewed!


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